On December 11th, taking significant additional steps to ensure that the nation’s schools and libraries have access to robust high-speed broadband connections, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved further modernization of its E-rate program, the nation’s largest program supporting education technology. This action closes the connectivity gap by lowering prices schools and libraries pay for connectivity, and by increasing the amount of available E-rate support from $2.4 to $3.9 billion. In 2014, Xtel provided over $5.6 million in E-rate eligible services to New Jersey K-12 schools.